A Sam and Diane fairy tale
by samanddianefan10
Summary: Set immediately before One for the road. What leads Sam and Diane to their fateful decision on that warm Boston evening.


Diane was headed home- back to Boston. What for, she didn't know, but if things went as planned, then maybe, just maybe, she could look up an old friend of hers.

Sam. Who was she kidding; he was more than a friend, he was the love of her life. But what was she hoping for, anyways? She knew better than to expect a happy ending for the fairy tale that was their story, but maybe, just maybe, she could make peace with the way things had turned out.

It had been five years, five long years, since she'd last seen Sam. Oh, she knew what she promised. She promised she'd return in six months, but life had a funny way of interfering. She knew that if she returned to Boston a failure, she'd never hear the end of it from Sam. And although she would never admit it it anyone, most of all Sam, his opinion of her had come to mean a great deal to her- more than she ever realized.

Yes, she was going there under false pretenses, Diane had hired her dog groomer, Reid, to pose as her husband, and how that would play out was anyone's guess. But she had to make Sam think that she had succeeded in something. If she didn't, then she would never be viewed the same way again by Sam. Yes, it was definitely better this way.

0000

The moment she walked in the door Sam knew that he still loved her. God, how beautiful she looked even after all those years! But there was no way in hell he would tell her that- he had been left with his pride. Not much, mind you, but enough to keep him from whisking Diane Chambers off her feet and sailing away with her into the sunset.

So as the evening played out, with Rebecca too upset over Don to put together a coherent sentence, Sam improvised the best way that he knew how. With his usual charm, he managed throw in a one-liner, usually at his own expense, and asked Diane about herself, her kids and her husband (not that he wanted to know anything about that weirdo!),

But as it turned out, Reid had a secret of his own, which became quite apparent when his partner stormed out of the restaurant, with Reid following in hot pursuit. That left Sam alone with Diane, and for once, the two of them were speechless.

0000

On the drive back to Sam's apartment, Sam realized how much he had needed Diane- how much he still needed her. She was mad, yes, but she was also smart, beautiful, witty and fun to be around. He'd almost forgotten how much fun around to be with she was until that very moment. Memories had a funny way of coming back and biting him on the butt, but it was worth it, for it was at that very moment he knew that he and Diane were meant to be together, forever.

0000

"What do you say, Sam? Will you come back to Los Angeles with me?" Diane asked as she pulled the sheet over her for modesty's sake.

"I don't know...I don't know if I can leave the bar."

"Leave it to your friends. Better yet, leave it to Rebecca. After all, she is a corporate lawyer," Diane teased, causing them both to break into fits of laughter.

"Yeah...you're right. What I need is a fresh start..."

"We," Diane corrected him. "What we need is a fresh start, to begin our lives again together, as if, as if, nothing in the past has ever happened. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

"I don't know about all that..."

"Don't you want to be with me?" she pouted.

"Aw, sweetheart, you know I want to be with you. How about I get packed and you make the arrangements, you know, with the plane and all that..."

"And then we go back and tell the gang?" she inquired.

"Do we have to?"

"I think you owe them a farewell, Sam. You'd be sorry if you left on uncertain terms...I know... never mind."

He thought he knew what she was referring to, and thought about asking, but then again they might never leave if she gave him his explanation. So Sam took one last look at the place, one which held so many memories,then got dressed, ready for his new life to begin.

0000

Yes, it was a fairy tale, their love affair. But what Sam and Diane failed to take into consideration was that not all fairy tales had happy endings.

The end


End file.
